Istanbul · OCTOBER 18, 2026
The Moon, planets, space weather, upcoming launches and close-approaching asteroids, recalculated every three hours.
Hold it over your head: north is up and east is left. The rim is the horizon, the centre straight overhead. Zoom with the wheel or two fingers, drag to move around.
Star data: HYG · d3-celestial
full dark twilight low, under 15°
Times fall within tonight’s dark hours, from an hour after sunset to an hour before sunrise. Direction and height are for the best time.
Istanbul · October 18, 2026 ·
First quarter
Moon age: 7.7 days
Orange frame: full moon. Dashed frame: new moon.
Uranus and Neptune need binoculars or a telescope.
Flare classes run A, B, C, M and X from weakest to strongest; X-class flares can cause radio blackouts on Earth.
NASA SDO · NOAA SWPC
Kp 2.0
Quiet
Auroras only at high latitudes.
Reading: 09:00–12:00 Istanbul time, NOAA. Kp is a three-hour index, renewed every three hours.
Highest forecast in the next 24 h: Kp 4.7
NOAA SWPC
The orange dot is your city; the shaded part is night. Solid line: the last orbit; dashed: the next. Passes are approximate; be outside a few minutes early.
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Bandwagon 5 (Dedicated Mid-Inclination Rideshare)
SpaceX · Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
H3-24 | Martian Moons eXploration (MMX)
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries · Tanegashima Space Center, Japan
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 15-15
SpaceX · Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
Ceres-1S | Unknown Payload
Galactic Energy · Haiyang Oriental Spaceport
Electron | We're Not Hawking Around (3x HawkEye 360)
Rocket Lab · Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
Long March 8A | Unknown Payload
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation · Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China
The Space Devs · Istanbul time
1 lunar distance ≈ 384,000 km, at closest approach. Sizes are estimated from brightness and may be off by a factor of two.
NASA/JPL CNEOS
Kp index
A 0–9 measure of disturbance in Earth's magnetic field; at Kp 7 and above auroras can reach far from the poles.
The Artemis II crew has been awarded the prestigious Stephen Hawking Medal at the Starmus Festival. The astronauts join an elite roster of honorees recognized for excellence in science communication.
In Episode 232 of the This Week In Space podcast, hosts analyzed the recent large data dump from the Artemis II mission. Expert contributors discussed preparation milestones and technical details of the lunar flight.
Offering far more than mood lighting, six scientifically accurate star projectors enable realistic skywatching at home. These devices serve as educational tools for aspiring astronomers of all ages.
The highly anticipated Orionid meteor shower is set to reach its peak activity overnight on October 21-22. Stargazers can look forward to a spectacular celestial display of shooting stars lighting up the autumn night sky.
Located in the constellation Scutum, the Wild Duck Cluster (M11) remains prominent in the evening sky for several hours after sunset. This young cluster offers amateur and professional astronomers an exceptional observing target.
The Orionid meteor shower reaches its annual peak next week, though a bright moon will wash out many faint trails. Observers are advised to carefully time their sessions to catch the best viewing window.
